The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1887-05-28
IN AND AROUND DUBLIN.
How the Famous Pigeon House Got Its
Name---Denis F. McCarthy's Trib-
ute to His Native Bay.

ute to His Native Bay.
DURING THE GREATER PART
Of Century the Bay Of Dublin Has From
Time to Time Been Compared by Differ
ent Writers With that Of Naples
by w. E. Wakcman, in Dublin Evening Tele-
graph.)
Beyond the somewhat faded, but still
interesting locality, of Ringsend, the
subject Of one Of my recent articles, ex-
lends into Dublin Bay to a distance Of
considerably over three miles, mole
or pier, which is generally styled the
South Wall This has more than once
been described as the great It work Of
it's kind in the world. Adj ing a fort
called the Pigeon House, which occu-
pies q position near it's cent may be
seen dock which, before
tion of Howth Harbor Jrinci-
pal place of landing or departure for
travellers between Ireland and Great
Britain. But change has come over
this once much. h.frequented spot from
the merry time Of old, ere yet mans
spirit had invoked the powers Of fire
and water to drive floating mansions Of
commerce, or even of luxury, in the
teeth Of wind and tide, however frantic
in their opposition. That weary and
unfrequented roadway, stretching
from R1ngsend to the fort and dock,
was for many years one of the busiest
drives which the neighborhood of our
city could present. Every kind OF We
hicle. from the grand state coach of the
Lord Lieutenant, the often equally
gorgeous equipages Of Ireland's nobil-
ity, to the gingle of the merchant OF
country gentleman, OF low-backed car
OF the humble man. put in All appear
ance upon it. We may easily imagine
the case OF packet boat which was ex-
pected to sail at a certain hour on q
day named. She is crowded with
passengers, not a few of whom have,
perhaps, Just had their first glimpse of
sails water The captain declines 10
put Off the wind. after veering round
being strong, aud directly against the
the intended course; to wait for Il
change is all that can be done, and a
favorable air may moi come for days.
Then and there is hurrying to and
fro, between the ship and the city; but
at length the voyage to Holyhead COM
mences. The writer's father used to
say how, on one OCCASION, the we'll
manned and admirably equipped boat in
which he once sailed (steamers were
then unknown) from Dublin to HOLY
head occupied fourteen days in the pas
sage. At one time they were off the
coast of Waterford. at another IN sight
OF the Isle of Man, ever vainly beating
against a storm from the east. AT
length came calm, and the vessel lay
motionless, ''as idle as q painted ship
upon painted ocean," Provisions, of
course, fell short, but fishing tackle
was rugged and all hands. pas engers
as we'll as crew, pile lines, with a re-
suit that quantity of fine plaice, cod
lings, and other tnny prey became
available for table. There was DO Ii
quor famine, as several parcels OF wine
and kegs OF spirits were, as usual, on
board. No wonder our grandfathers-
to say nothing OF our grandmothers-
dreaded to trust themselves to the mer.
cies Of the silver streak which separa-
tes Erin from Albion, OF even to make
the attempt. Slillful AS have ever been
our naval officers OF the west. Irish as
we'll as English, and strong and endur-
ing as the crews under their command,
have almost invariably shown themsel-
YES, the best found ships, even in our
narrow sea. have on many memorable !
occasions been as toys to the elements
1t was from the Pigeon House harbor
that the Rochdale troopship, with the
2Sth Regiment OIL board, sailed Oh her
last voyage. This was in November,
1867. On the day following that Of her
departure in company with seven trans
port vessels, she was seen off the coast,
near Blackrock, evidently in a state of
distress. AT last her keel struck the
rocks near Seapoint, and the ship be-
came total wreck, every soul on
board, man, woman and child perish
ing.
On the same day, from the same place,
the Prince of Wales sailed for Liver
pool, in company with two transports.
This vessel also carried troops. Her
Fate was similar to that Of the Roch-
lale. but some. of her passengers and
crew saved themselves in boat.
Before the construction Of the south
wall, harbor, and lighthouse, wrecks
we're very common along the neighbor-
NC shores of Dublin Bay. Vessels even
If moderate size could not approach
lear to the city, except on the occasion
# very high tides. They had to re-